In between stuffing our faces, we catch up on life lately.
“Jake, your win against UCONN was such a nail biter. I swear I felt my blood pressure rise every other minute.” My mom places a hand on her heart as she reminisces.
“They’re definitely our toughest competition this year. I thought we were done for when we ended the first period down three goals.” Thankfully we managed to get our shit together.
“The goal you scored in the second was such a thing of beauty. Really changed the tone of the game.” Sienna beams like a proud little sister.
“Seems like the new assistant coach is starting to get his bearings,” my dad notes.
“Yeah. Admittedly we had some tense moments when he decided to take me off the first line, but now I get it. He wants a leader on each line to help elevate our freshman, and it’s working. Dylan scored his first goal this season, which was really awesome to see.”
“Getting to show off your skills as a captain. No wonder the Bruins are dying to sign you.” Mom says gleefully.
The comfort I felt immediately vanishes as Sienna asks Charlotte and my mom about some feedback on her honors thesis. She mentions something about trying to decide whichnonparametric test to run that will best fit her data, and I’m immediately lost. What happened to a good old t-test?
The three of them go back and forth for twenty minutes, and while I laugh along to the different jokes they tell, I understand none of them. The joy I felt seeing my family excited about hockey is replaced by the feeling of being an outsider again. A reminder as to why I decided to take PSYCH101 in the first place. To be able to join in on the conversation.
“Speaking of stats— Char I noticed you didn’t show any of the new analyses I suggested during your defense,” Mom starts.
To my left I feel Charlotte tense slightly, chewing on her bottom lip.
My mom takes a sip of her wine. “That makes sense. I did give you that advice super close to your defense. It would’ve been way too much to redo everything on such short notice.” She gives Charlotte a warm smile and for a moment, I think we’re in the clear until Mom continues. “You’ll change them for your manuscript though, right?”
“I don’t really see the need to. My advisor doesn’t have any concerns,” Charlotte counters.
“I really feel like reviewers are going to have issues with your approach. I would hate to see it rejected after all the hard work you put in.”
“Rejection is a part of being an academic.You’rethe one who taught me that.”
Mom’s eyebrows pinch together. “I know honey. Doesn’t make it any easier when it happens though. Maybe you should talk to your advisor about it again?”
Charlotte opens her mouth to retort but Sienna cuts her off. “So Jake, why don’t you tell us more about this mystery girl you’re dating?”
A wave of silence crashes over the table before my mom lets out a loud squeal. I turn my head to shoot daggers at Siennaand her face is covered with remorse. She subtly nods in Charlotte’s direction, who is currently clenching and unclenching her hands on the table, and I get the memo. Sienna threw me under the bus as a lifeline for Charlotte. I can’t even be upset about it because I knew how the conversation with Charlotte and my mom would’ve ended— with Charlotte storming off while Mom would be left confused and hurt because all she wanted to do was help her daughter who she loves with all her heart. Unfortunately, I don’t think Mom really understood how difficult and overwhelming it was for Charlotte to always live in the shadow of one of the most prominent researchers in her field. I’m not saying Charlotte is necessarily justified for getting angry with Mom, but it’s not always easy to stay calm when your insecurities are constantly being pointed out. That was definitely something Charlotte and I had in common.
“Jake. Have you been holding out on us?” Mom’s smile takes up her entire face.
“Sienna’s being dramatic. I’m not seeing anyone.”
“Is that why you wake up every morning at 6 a.m. to bring her coffee?” Sienna challenges.
“Not every day. Just twice a week. And we’re just friends.”
Mom’s not having any of that. “6 a.m. is quite early, Jake. She must be very special.”
“It’s really not that big of a deal.” I shrug. “She likes to start her days morbidly early and I decided to help her out by getting her coffee. Friends buy friends coffee all the time.”
“They do. Although we’ve never heard of you doing this for a girl before,” Dad teases. Great. He’s an even bigger helpless romantic than my mom is. The two of them being invested in my love life was a true nightmare scenario. “There’s only one person I would’ve dragged myself out of bed for that early when I was in college.” He brings my mom’s hand, stillentwined with his, up to his lips and places a soft kiss on the back of it.
“We’re just friends and that’s all I have to say about it. You’re not getting anything else from me.”
“Oh I’ll get it out of you sooner or later Jake. But for now I can hang tight. Who wants dessert?” Mom exclaims, heading into the kitchen.
My dad gives me a wink followed by a knowing smirk, and I hold in a groan. I guess in their defense they were half right. Eliana was a pretty important part of my life now, just not in the way they imagined. I was finally starting to understand the material in PSYCH101, which would help get my grade back up and keep me from getting benched. Though I had to admit, regardless of the reason, I didn’t really care why she had found her way into my life. I just liked the fact that she did.
Chapter 18
Eliana
